Greenpeace wags finger at eco-laggards

But lays off Apple

Greenpeace has released its latest "Cool IT" report ranking which tech firms are doing most to combat global warming and reduce emissions, and which are failing to rise to the challenge.

The group urged companies to use the upcoming Copenhagen Climate summit to take action to improve things.

Melanie Francis, Greenpeace International climate campaigner, said: “Though the IT industry will profit from strong emissions reduction targets, disappointingly, it is not coming close to its potential of leading the way to a low carbon economy.

"IT giants like Microsoft, Google and IBM need to rapidly put their weight behind a strong deal at Copenhagen or the climate will lose out to dirty industry’s negative lobbying.”

IBM keeps its top spot because of its "extensive range of climate solutions", but HP is only one point behind. Dell, Nokia and Sony were reprimanded for failing to improve their scores on those released last May.

Sharp is also singled out as the only Japanese company to support its government's emissions targets. But Nokia, Dell, Microsoft and Sony were all criticised for staying silent on the subject.

Google was criticised for not disclosing its own greenhouse gas emissions, nor its electricity usage if memory serves...

Greenpeace began looking at the tech industry with an examination of energy use and the materials like PVCs and Brominated Flame Retardants used in gadgets and laptops. This seems to have morphed, like much of the environmental movement, to a focus on global warming.